Jonny Sexton wins selection for his first Lions tour having proved he has recovered from a spate of injury problems that blighted his 2013 RBS 6 Nations campaign by steering Leinster to victory in the Amlin Challenge Cup final against Stade Francais Paris. He picked up the man of the match award as Leinster made it three European titles in a row.
A three-time Heineken Cup winner with his home province, in 2009, 2011 and 2012, he exploded on to the European scene in 2009 when he took over from the injured Felipe Contepomi in the semi-final against Munster at Croke Park. He scored 11 points in the final, including a crucial drop goal, and then notched a match-winning 28 points against Northampton Saints in the 2011 showpiece in Cardiff. He went on to score a further 14 points in the 2012 victory over Ulster to make it 54 points in three European finals.
A product of St Mary’s College in Dublin, he won caps for Ireland Schools U18 and Ireland U21 before making the first of 11 appearances for Ireland A in the Churchill Cup in 2009. He went on to kick 15 points in the final as the Irish routed England Saxons.
Contepomi’s departure for France allowed Sexton to start the 2009/10 campaign as Leinster’s top choice No 10 and he marked his first full Irish cap with a man of the match performance as he provided 16 points to a comprehensive win over Fiji in Dublin. He kept his place for the next game against South Africa, ousting Ronan O’Gara for the first time in a battle that is still running. He made two appearances off the bench in the 2010 RBS 6 Nations and shared the jersey with O’Gara throughout the 2011 championship. Sexton started the first two Pool matches at the 2011 Rugby World Cup, including the win over Australia, but then found himself back on the bench behind O’Gara for the next three games, including the quarter-final defeat to Wales.
He re-established himself as first choice and started in the last 12 Irish Tests dating back to the 2012 RBS 6 Nations before he tore a hamstring in the defeat to England this season. He was deemed fit to resume against Italy in the final round, but tore a tendon in his foot in the week leading up to the Rome encounter.